JP2003261288A - Device having cable drum held in outer casing by seal and corresponding assembling method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a device having a cable winding drum 3, an outer casing 1 having a casing 2 for internally arranging the drum 3 rotatable around a shaft, and a seal 4 for holding the drum 3 in this casing 2, and constituting a stopper to translation of the drum along the shaft. <P>SOLUTION: Before installing the outer casing on a partition panel by such arrangement, the drum can be held in the casing, and use of an auxiliary part for holding the drum is also avoided, and at the same time, a place for fixing the outer casing to a partition is continuously surely sealed. A method is also provided for assembling a door of a vehicle using such a device. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an automobile door, and more particularly to a door / window lifting device equipped with an electric motor driving device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art European Patent No. EP-B-08927
No. 24 discloses a sheet metal door having an opening.
A plastic take-up drum is rotatably housed and held in the drum outer casing between the thin plate and the end of the outer casing.
This drum outer casing is fixed by a spring molding clip fixture. This thin plate has a hole for inserting a fixture. A gear motor unit is connected to the drum. This gear motor unit is located on the side of the drum opposite the sheet metal. This thin plate is sandwiched between the drum outer casing and the plastic outer casing of the gear motor unit. The gear motor unit outer casing is attached to the drum outer casing by screws housed in spring molded clip fixtures.

Similarly, US Pat. No. 6,152,646 discloses a support plate that supports a gear motor unit outer casing and a drum outer casing on both sides. The gear motor unit outer casing is attached to the drum outer casing by a screw penetrating these outer casings.

These devices have drawbacks. on the one hand,
Sealing between the thin plate or both sides of the support is not properly provided during assembly of the gear motor unit housing and the drum housing. This seal is of fundamental importance, especially for protecting the electrical or electronic components of the gear motor unit from moisture. On the other hand, the drum is not properly held in the drum outer casing before fixing the drum outer casing to the thin plate.

German Patent DE-A-198128
No. 75 discloses a window lifting device including a drum outer casing and a seal. The seal is pressed against the side of the drum to provide a seal and hold the drum on its axis of rotation. The contact between the seal and the drum is due to friction. The disadvantage is that the friction between the drum and the seal cannot simultaneously meet the conflicting requirements of sealing between the drum and the seal and preventing the drum from translating along its axis. Furthermore, the friction impairs the force with which the seal is pressed against the drum, which reduces the sealing and translational restraint of the drum.

US Pat. No. 4,450,732 discloses a drum for a window lifting device which is rotatably mounted in a box. The drum has a seal integral with the drum on both sides to provide a seal between the drum and the box.
However, a drawback of the integral seal with the drum is that it prevents the drum from rotating with respect to the box.

International Application No. A-9743564 discloses a gear motor unit for a window lifting device which comprises a seal which contacts a toothed gear driven by the gear motor unit. The seal is in sliding contact with the inner annular wall of the toothed gear.

Accordingly, there is a need for an apparatus and assembly method that overcomes one or more of these drawbacks.

[0009]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a cable winding drum, an outer casing having a casing in which a drum rotatable about an axis is arranged, and a drum in the casing. Is a device that holds a seal and that constitutes a stop against translation of the drum along its axis.

[0010]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to one embodiment, a seal surrounds the enclosure.

According to another embodiment, the seal is secured to the outer casing by stake joint studs.

According to yet another embodiment, the seal comprises:
A first part made of a first material and in contact with the outer housing, and a second material made of a second material, i.e. a plastic which is softer than the first material, facing away from the housing Have parts.

According to yet another embodiment, the seal comprises:
It further has a third part facing the housing, which is made of a plastic material which is softer than the first material. The first material is, for example, polypropylene reinforced with 20% glass fiber. The second material is, for example, EPDM (polyoxymethylene).

According to one embodiment, the seal has at least one opening surrounded by a ridge or bead.

According to another embodiment, the apparatus further comprises a partition panel fixed to the seal, the seal being held between the partition panel and the outer casing.

According to yet another embodiment, the second portion of the seal is in contact with the partition panel.

According to yet another embodiment, the seal comprises:
It is secured to the partition panel by at least one spring-formed clip fixture.

The partition panel can also be provided as an internal door panel.

According to one embodiment, the device further comprises a gear motor unit connected to the drum, which comprises a box fixed to the outer casing, wherein the seal and partition panel comprises a box and an outer casing. Held in between.

According to yet another embodiment, seals, boxes and panels seal between the two sides of the panel.

Another object of the present invention is to dispose a cable winding drum rotatable about an axis in an outer casing and to fix a seal for holding the drum in the casing to the outer casing. , The seal is a stop to the translation of the drum in this axial direction, the cable is wound on the drum, the partition panel is placed against the seal, and the gear motor unit is connected to the drum. ,
And a method of assembling a door, which includes a step of fixing a box of the gear motor unit to an outer casing and holding a partition panel and a seal between the box and the outer casing.

According to one embodiment, placing the partition panel against the seal includes securing the seal to the panel.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent on reading the description of some embodiments of the invention which follows, given by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0024]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The present invention proposes an apparatus including a drum, an outer casing for accommodating the drum, and a seal for holding the drum in the casing before fixing the outer casing to a partition panel. The drum has an axis of rotation, but axially the translation of the drum is restrained by a seal forming a stop.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the device before assembly. This apparatus includes a drum outer casing 1 having a drum casing 2.
And a cable winding drum 3 to be inserted into this housing 2.
And a seal 4 fixed to the outer casing 1 for holding the drum 3 in the casing 2.

The drum 3 is held in the outer casing by placing the drum 3 in the casing 2 and then fixing the seal 4 to the outer casing 1. For example, the opening 14 for inserting the drum
Securely accommodate by using a housing that is hollow to the mouth. The seal projects above this insertion opening. The drum has two sides, one on each side of the drum along the axis of rotation of the drum, with a seal on one side of this drum (according to the example of Figure 1).
The protruding side and the other side face the end of the outer casing. Therefore, the seal has an opening 14 of a cross section smaller than the cross section of the drum. The seal 4 is a stop against the translational movement of the drum in the rotation axis direction. In this axial direction, the drum is held between the seal 4 and the outer casing 1. That is,
In this direction, the drum is held between one surface of the seal 4 and the outer casing 1. Therefore, the device can be handled without the risk of the drum accidentally coming out of the housing. Moreover, the device can be used at this stage to use this seal as a seal for a door divider panel. Moreover, since the gear motor unit can be removed without removing the drum, this system is particularly practical when servicing a vehicle. Furthermore, the inhibition of the translation of the drum by the seal does not adversely affect the sealing by the seal. The gear motor that drives the drum can be replaced without adversely affecting the sealing provided by this seal.

Door divider panels are commonly used in window lifts with gear motor units to provide a damp area containing mechanical window drive elements and electrical or electronic portions of the window drive mechanism. The area containing less moisture is partitioned so as to seal it. The seal 4 can be fixed to the partition panel 5 of the door, as shown in phantom in FIG. Next, the seal 4 is held between the partition panel and the outer casing 1. Next, the outer casing 1 containing the drum
Is fixed to this partition panel. Fixing in this manner is also practical for intervening, as the outer housing containing the drum is held on the partition panel independently of the gear motor unit. Then gear motor
The unit 6 can be connected to the drum, and the box 7 of this gear motor unit can be fixed to the outer casing 1.
Next, the partition panel and the seal are held between the outer casing 1 and the box 7 of the gear motor unit. Therefore,
This partition panel should provide a seal between the drum in the damp area and the control electronics of the gear motor unit in the damp area. A method of assembling a door using this device will be described in more detail below.

A seal 4 preferably surrounds the drum housing. Thus, once the device is installed in the door, this seal seals around the holes in the outer casing used to connect the drum to the gear motor unit. In the example of FIG. 1, the outer housing has a flat surface against which virtually identical seals abut. It then provides a proper seal between the outer housing and the seal. The seal has studs 8-10. These studs have a cross section,
Moreover, they are arranged so as to be inserted exactly into the holes 11 to 13 of the outer casing. Once these studs 8-10 have been inserted through holes 11-13, the studs crush their heads to connect the seal to the outer housing. It is also conceivable to replace the stake joint studs with spring-formed clips known per se, or any other suitable fastening means.

The seal 4 has several members for fixing it to the partition panel 5. In the example shown, this seal has two fittings per spring forming clip 15 and 16. For example, these fittings are fitted into appropriate holes 17 and 18 in the partition panel 5. Once the partition panel and the seal are fitted together, the seal is held between the partition panel and the outer casing. The partition panel used is preferably an interior panel of the door structure.

It is preferable to use a seal 4 having several layers or parts of different materials. The material of the layer or portion for holding the drum in the outer casing has a Young's modulus greater than the Young's modulus of the layer or portion for contacting the partition panel or outer casing. This in turn provides a first layer or part that mechanically holds the drum in place and a second layer or part that is deformed enough to provide a good seal for the partition panel or enclosure if desired. To be For the first layer or part it is preferred to use 20% glass fiber reinforced polypropylene or POM (polyoxymethylene). It is fully conceivable to make such a layer or part from a metallic material as a thin plate supporting the second layer or part. It is preferred to use EPDM (ethylene-propylene trimer) for the second layer or portion.

As can be seen more specifically in FIG. 3, a gear motor unit is connected to the vehicle 20. Although the connection between the drum and the original vehicle is not explicitly shown, it is by any suitable means such as a damper equipped with a slot corresponding to the groove of the drum and the original vehicle. The fixed spindle 21 of the gear motor unit penetrates the shaft hole 22 of the drum 3. In this way, the fixed spindle 21 can guide the rotation of the drum. For example, screws 23, 24 and 25 are used to secure the box of the gear motor unit to the outer casing of the drum. Screws 23-25 pass through the appropriate holes in the partition panel 5. These screws are likewise the openings 2 of the seal
Penetration through 9, 30 and 31 is preferred. The partition panel is properly sealed by exiting the seal and reaching the point of penetration of these screws. Screws 23-25
Is fastened to the molding holes 26 to 28 formed in the drum outer casing 1. Once the box is secured to the drum outer casing, seals and divider panels are retained between the box and outer casing. In that case, on both sides of the panel, a seal is provided by the gear motor unit, the panel and a seal. Needless to say, it is necessary to supplement the seal by means known per se around the panel, in particular on the door structure in which it is mounted.

The seal preferably has a ridge or bead at its periphery on one or both sides thereof. Such a ridge is adapted to be compressively deformed by the surface with which it abuts. Therefore, such a ridge can enhance the sealing of the seal. A ridge may be formed that surrounds each hole provided in the partition panel. In particular, the ridge 19 can be formed around the opening 14 for connecting the drum. Protrusions 32 to 34 are provided as necessary to provide the screw opening 2
It is also possible to strengthen the seal around 9-31.

The following method can be used to assemble a door using this type of device. In the first step,
The cable winding drum is placed inside the outer casing. Next, a seal for holding the drum in the housing is fixed to the outer housing.
Then wrap the cable around the drum. The cable can be tensioned so that it wraps around the bottom of the groove in the drum. Next, the device thus formed is placed on the partition panel. A seal could be secured to the divider panel to facilitate handling and facilitate door assembly. Then, the gear motor unit is connected to the drum, and the box of the gear motor unit is fixed to the outer casing so as to hold the partition panel and the seal between the box and the outer casing. In this way, the seal between the two sides of the partition must be
It is provided between the box of the motor unit and the outer casing of the drum.

Of course, the invention is not limited to the examples and embodiments described and illustrated, but can be modified in numerous ways available to the person skilled in the art.
In particular, it is conceivable that this seal has a metal or rigid mounting plate that holds the drum inside the outer casing, but such a plate is provided with a plastic overmolded product that provides a sealing function. is there. Using a plastic spring-molded clip fixture attached to the folds of such a mounting plate or the thin metal plate of this mounting plate,
The seal can be fixed to the panel or the drum outer casing. Generally, if it is possible to hold the seal on the drum or panel in the outer casing at least temporarily,
Any fixation may be appropriate. In addition, the seal can enter a groove provided in the drum surface between the upper and lower surfaces of the drum. A seal contacts the lateral surface of this groove to form a stop to prevent translation of the drum.

[Brief description of drawings]

1 is an exploded perspective view of a device according to the invention before assembly.

2 is a perspective view of the device of FIG. 1 during the latter half of the door assembly.

3 is a cross-sectional view of the device of FIG. 1 during the latter half of the mounting stage.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 drum outer casing 2 drum housing 3 cable drum 4 seals 5 partition panels 6 Gear motor unit 7 Gear motor unit box 8-10 stake joint studs 11-13, 17-18 holes 14, 29-31 openings 15, 16 spring molded clip 19, 32-34 Raised 20 original car 22 Shaft hole 23-25 screws 26-28 molding hole

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    (72) Inventor Laurent Arc Vaud             France Shree Sur Lower             Le, Kede Marinier 9 (72) Inventor Elvero Randell             France, Erouville Saint Clay             Le, Clodera Syrup 8 (72) Inventor Marc Laurie             France Rion en Suria, Bé             Le Etoile (72) Inventor Jean Saber             France, Chessy, Are de Gesai             Intrayu 6 screws (72) Inventor Christoph Truffaut             Saint-Jean-le-Blanc, France               Ryu Du General De Gaulle             1 screw F-term (reference) 5H605 AA02 BB05 BB17 CC02 CC03                       DD05 DD16 DD32 EA19 GG06

Claims (16)

[Claims] 1. A device comprising an outer casing and a drum for a window raising / lowering device, wherein a casing (2) in which a cable winding drum (3) and a drum (3) rotatable about an axis are arranged. An apparatus comprising: an outer casing (1) having: a seal (4) holding the drum (3) in the casing (2) and constituting a stop against translation of the drum along its axis. 2. A seal surrounds the perimeter of the housing (2),
An apparatus comprising the outer casing according to claim 1 and a drum for a window lifting device. 3. The outer casing according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the seal (4) is fixed to the outer casing (1) by means of stake joint studs (8-10), and a drum for a window lifting device. apparatus. 4. The seal (4) is made from a first material, a first part in contact with the outer casing (1) and a second material, ie a plastic, which is softer than the first material. A device comprising an outer casing and a drum for a window lifting device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, having a second part that is made and faces away from the housing (2). . 5. The outer housing and window lift according to claim 4, wherein the seal further comprises a third portion facing the housing, which is made of a plastic material and is softer than the first material. Equipment with a drum. 6. A device comprising an outer casing and a drum for a window lifting device according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the first material is polypropylene reinforced with 20% glass fiber. 7. A device comprising an outer casing and a drum for a window lifting device according to any one of claims 4 to 6, wherein the second material is EPDM (polyoxymethylene). 8. Outer housing and window lifting device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the seal has at least one opening surrounded by a ridge (19, 32-34). Equipment with a drum. 9. An outer casing according to claim 1, further comprising a partition panel (5) fixed to the seal, the seal being held between the partition panel and the outer casing. A device that includes a housing and a drum for a window lifting device. 10. A device comprising an outer casing and a drum for a window lifting device according to claims 4 and 9, wherein the second part of the seal is in contact with the partition panel (5). 11. Outer housing according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the seal is fixed to the partition panel by at least one spring-formed clip fastener (15, 16), and a drum for a window lifting device. apparatus. 12. An apparatus comprising an outer casing and a drum for a window lifting device according to any one of claims 9 to 11, wherein the partition panel is an inner door panel. 13. A gear motor unit (6) equipped with a box (7) connected to a drum (3) and fixed to an outer casing, wherein a seal and a partition panel are provided between the box and the outer casing. The gear that holds the
An apparatus comprising the outer casing according to any one of claims 9 to 12 and a drum for a window lifting device, further comprising a motor unit. 14. An apparatus comprising an outer casing and a drum for a window lifting device according to claim 13, wherein a seal, a box and a panel seal between both sides of the panel. 15. A method of assembling a door, the method comprising: disposing a cable winding drum rotatable about an axis in an outer casing; holding the drum (3) in the casing (2). Fixing the seal (4) to the outer casing (1), the seal (4) being a stop against the translation of the drum in this axial direction, the step of winding the cable on the drum (3), and the partition panel The gear motor unit is connected to the drum (3) and the box of the gear motor unit is fixed to the outer casing (1) so that the box and the outer Retaining the partition panel and the seal (4) between the enclosures,
How to assemble the door. 16. Placing the divider panel relative to the seal includes securing the seal to the panel,
The method according to claim 15.